


KlaineValentines2016 One Shots

by quizasvivamos



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anderberry Siblings, Fluff, Humor, Klaine with dogs, M/M, Romance, kids!Klaine, klainevalentines2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 07:07:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5996224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quizasvivamos/pseuds/quizasvivamos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A small collection of Klaine Valentine's Day fic written for the klainevalentines2016 challenge on tumblr. </p><p>*The Online Dating AU series was also written for the challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. That's Amore

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Riverance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riverance/gifts).



 

The moonlight cast a soft glow on the snow that had coated the city streets, cars, and buildings the previous evening. All had been quiet and calm with the city practically shut down, its residents who had the choice opting to remain warm and cozy inside. Luckily, Kurt and Blaine had been among them, but, after being cooped up in their apartment all night and morning, an antsy Kurt proposed they take a stroll through the winter wonderland that had almost instantly appeared overnight in order to pay a visit to one of their favorite restaurants. Blaine wasn’t one to refuse such a perfect request, so they’d bundled up and set out.

The brisk February air drew them close to each other as they walked along in a comfortable silence, almost as if worried to disturb the unusual calm around them, gloved hands linked and swaying between their bodies. Only a few blocks away now, Kurt’s mouth began to water simply from the thought of and in anticipation of the warm meal. Kurt had been craving the garlic bread and risotto they served there, and he was so hungry, he felt like he could eat the entire menu. And the wine menu was so long and would surely tempt him to drink until he was flushed and relaxed enough to doze off in his seat. Not to mention, the desserts they offered were impossible to refrain from indulging in. Blaine was partial to the tiramisu, and they almost always split a generous piece before wrapping up and heading back home, bellies full and sated.

Tonight’s visit was no different than any other, and they thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and their food, the pleasurable experience augmented by each other’s company and intimate conversation between the starry-eyed lovers. Now both were perfectly content to return to their home, cuddle up beneath the blankets in their bed, and fall asleep tangled up in each other.

Kurt tugged on Blaine’s hand, bringing him to a halt outside their building, and Blaine turned to him with an inquisitive look.

Kurt ran his fingers over the fleece along the brim of Blaine’s coat hood and then gently pulled it back from his head so he had a clear view of his face.

Blaine grinned, still confused by the way Kurt was staring at him, his eyes bright and pondering, like he’d never seen him before. 

“What?”

Kurt just smiled in return, finally speaking. “Te amo.”

“Huh?”

“Te amo,” Kurt said again as if Blaine should have understood. “Mio amore…”

Blaine watched an impish grin creep onto Kurt’s face that told him maybe he wasn’t meant to know.

“Je t’adore beaucoup, Monsieur Anderson.”

“You’ve had too much wine,” Blaine said through light laughter, almost certain that Kurt wasn’t speaking just one language. “You’re drunk.”

Kurt hummed and shook his head.

"Are you trying to drop hints about something?”

“Nope. Subtlety has nothing to do with it.”

“Then what is it? What are you saying to me? Please tell me.”

“How about I show you instead?”

Kurt leaned in, his hot breath ghosting over Blaine’s lips, and pressed his mouth to Blaine’s, the kiss tender yet brief.

He pulled back just slightly and sighed against Blaine’s still parted lips, seeming like he was finally about to reveal what his words had meant, but Blaine knew then that he understood, that words weren’t necessary. Kurt hadn’t needed to translate, to softly utter the words on his mind, for, no matter what language he spoke, the one with which he’d just chosen to communicate was universal and transcended all barriers.

Blaine kissed Kurt back, felt every ounce of love radiating from Kurt’s body, and drank it in through the connection of their mouths. Each press and slide of the lips, each touch spoke volumes, told a story of which Blaine never wanted to reach the conclusion. 


	2. P.S. I Love You

Blaine was no stranger to walking through the halls of the empty, dimly lit high school after hours, but something felt very different about this particular visit. McKinley wasn’t the same place anymore. And Blaine wasn’t the same person who had transferred during his junior year for reasons he’d never regret.

The day had been emotionally exhausting, filled with major life changes and tearful goodbyes - some that felt like forevers. But there were things still here, too many special memories tied to this place, and people who would always bring him back, regardless of where life carried everyone and how much they changed and grew.

After retracing his steps from earlier in the day, Blaine arrived in front of a row of lockers, stopping to stand in a spot in which he’d stood so many times before, though not usually alone. Blaine touched the wedding band on his left hand, absentmindedly spinning it slowly around his finger. He took a deep breath. Fueled by his curiosity to get a closer look at its contents, Blaine had been drawn to the time capsule his husband had revealed to him, the locker overflowing with memorabilia that evoked precious memories from their time in show choir, when everything was fresh and exciting and new. But there were objects in there that were not as familiar to Blaine as others, and Kurt’s presentation had been relatively brief, too brief to really examine them carefully.

Blaine turned the combination lock until it popped open, the metal hinge of the locker door slightly creaking as it swung forward. He scanned the objects he’d already known were in there, the picture of them at prom catching his eye and giving him pause. He reached in, took hold of the frame, and removed it from the locker, smiling as he gazed fondly at it. But something sitting behind it and beneath the Gaga heels caught his attention, and Blaine set the picture back in the locker and scooped up a small stack of papers, which he soon recognized as a collection of show choir competition programs, playbills, and photographs. To his surprise, a sealed envelope slid out of one of the programs and fell to the floor by his feet. Blaine picked it up, noticing that his own name was written in Kurt’s tidy handwriting across the front.

“What’s this?” he said to himself, confused, his pulse quickening as he slid his finger under the flap to break the seal.

Inside was a letter, and, in the top right-hand corner of the page, it was dated November 2012. Putting the pieces together and understanding the implications, Blaine suddenly felt nervous and somewhat scared to read on. But his curiosity was piqued, and Blaine braced himself, knowing that what he was about to read could upset him. 

> _Dear Blaine,_
> 
> _It’s so odd to begin that way, don’t you think? When my therapist told me to try this exercise, to write a letter to you to say all the things I wanted to say to you but couldn’t, I was reluctant, angry and heartbroken. When I sat down to write this letter, all I wanted to do was say “how dare you?”, to list all the horrible things that you had done to me, and to write about how awful you made me feel when you cheated._
> 
> _Instead, I took a deep breath, and I realized that, when I thought about you, I didn’t want to fill these lines with all the bad things that happened, because I’ve already said it. Instead, I thought about beginning, and I wrote:_
> 
> _Dear Blaine,_
> 
> _Dear kind stranger, who stopped on the Dalton staircase, took my hand when I was lost, and led me straight to the music._
> 
> _Dear friend, who gave me the courage to confront my bully and was there to pick me up and comfort me when I hurt the most._
> 
> _Dear boyfriend and best friend, who believed in me and supported me, even when I doubted myself._
> 
> _Dear ex boyfriend, who tore my heart in pieces and made it hard to imagine what over really meant.  
>  _
> 
> _But it’s kind of funny the way I keep thinking about beginning. I still can’t let you go, no matter how hard I try to get over you. Maybe I will move on, or maybe time will tell a different story. Maybe we’ll begin again. I’m happy you’re still my friend.  
>  _
> 
> _Sincerely,  
>  _
> 
> _Kurt Hummel  
>  _

Blaine knew that he was never meant to read the letter, and he felt a twinge of guilt. Eyes wet and chest tight from overwhelming emotion, he blinked hard before reading the final line on the page.

> _P.S. I love you. I never stopped. I will always be in love with you._


	3. I Just Called To Say I Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short future scene set in the Lima/Heights Junction ‘verse. 
> 
> Blaine is attending his freshman year at OSU, and Kurt is nearly 600 miles away at NYADA in NYC. Wanting to remain together, they’re giving the long distance thing a chance. However, sometimes their busy schedules keep them from phone calls and Skype sessions, so the little things and brief moments they have together mean that much more.

Blaine had no idea how Kurt had been doing it, juggling his often physically and emotionally demanding classes at NYADA while taking on an internship at Vogue - all while getting used to living in a big city that was so unlike home. 

Then again, Blaine had a lot on his schedule, too. Between classes and intramural football practice, he barely had time to visit the cafe at the student center in order to eat a proper meal. And, on top of that, he’d recently joined the GSA, hoping to make some new friends and find a place to fit in at such a large university. 

Despite both of their hectic schedules, Blaine always made time to talk to Kurt. 

Being a town away had been one thing, but living a few states apart presented a bigger challenge for them and would be the true test of whether or not they could stay together. As lonely as it could sometimes be, Blaine knew in his heart that it would work out, because there was no one else he could ever imagine himself with. Kurt was it for him, and he was determined to make certain that Kurt knew every day, no matter how limited his opportunities were to show him. 

The team had called it a day earlier than planned, so Blaine found himself wandering through campus, able to walk at a relaxed pace as he headed toward the dining hall nearest to his dorm. When he checked the time on his phone, excitement flooded through him, and he quickly pulled up his recent calls list and pressed his finger to the name at the very top. 

It rang once, twice, and then Kurt picked up. 

“Hey, Blaine.” He sounded confused, though not unhappy to hear from him. “You don’t usually call during the middle of the day unless something major happens. Is everything okay? Just so you know, I just left dance class, and I’m on my way to voice lessons, so I don’t have a lot of time to talk right now.” 

“I know. I saved your schedule to my phone, remember?”

“Of course. So, what happened?”

Kurt sounded distracted, and Blaine could hear traffic noises and the wind through the phone. 

“Nothing happened. Practice ended early, and I had a free moment. I just wanted to hear your voice, and I couldn’t wait until tonight.” 

Kurt chuckled. “Is that all? Well, I’m happy nothing’s wrong.”

“No, there’s more, and I’ll make it quick. I love you.”

There was a brief moment of silence, and Blaine could clearly imagine Kurt’s smile and blush. 

“I love you, too.” 

Blaine grinned, feeling warm all over. “I just called to say I love you.” 

“Just like the song?” Kurt asked.

“Just like the song,” Blaine answered, “and I don’t want you to forget how much you mean to me. I know you’re probably across campus now at the building where your voice lessons are, so I’ll let you go.”

“I am. You’re good - actually, you’re the best,” Kurt said softly. “You have nothing to worry about, my dear. I miss you like crazy. I have to go now, but I can’t wait to talk to you tonight.” 

“Later, Kurt.” 

“Later, Blaine.”


	4. Just The Way You Are

For twelve-year-old Kurt, there were two main events in wintertime to which he looked forward every year: Christmas and snow days.

Fortunately, - and somewhat unfortunately-, Christmas had already come and gone. Now, surrounded by new toys, clothes, and gadgets, the excitement of the season still lingered, but break was over and school was back in session. However, there was still fun to be had, and the forecast looked promising; the weather woman had called for several inches of snow. When the fluffy, white flakes began to fall, Kurt awoke early the next morning and intently watched the news with his dad, wrapped up in his blanket, hoping with fingers crossed that his school’s name would pop up on the screen accompanied by “closed” in all its beautiful simplicity, and he cheered when all his dreams came true. All the fun things he planned to do on his day off began to race through his head, and he leaped up off the couch, making a beeline for the phone.

Kurt was a big boy now and had proven he was mature beyond his years, responsible, and no longer needed adult supervision. Burt gave him permission to go to the park by himself, but Kurt had no intention of going without his best friend. Fast as his little fingers could dial, he called up Blaine Anderson, who thought Kurt’s idea to go sledding was the best idea ever. 

Blaine was in the grade below Kurt, only a sixth grader who was just out of elementary school and still getting used to school without recess. Most seventh graders didn’t bother to hang out with those in the lower grades and often referred to them as babies, but Kurt didn’t care what they thought. He and Blaine had been neighbors and best friends since Kurt was in kindergarten, and he really liked playing with him. They liked all the same things, like Power Rangers, Star Wars, and Hot Wheels cars, but also tea parties, dress up, and bike rides, during which they would imagine they were on an incredible journey through an enchanted forest or riding down the long and winding Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City. They loved to sing songs from their favorite movies, Kurt often belting out his favorite lines while dancing in circles, which often made Blaine giggle. They always had so much fun together, and even the torment from his peers couldn’t keep Kurt from being Blaine’s friend.

All suited up and snug in their insulated snow pants, boots, gloves, and hats, the two boys trekked through the snow, dragging their sleds behind them. Blaine had a really nice plastic green toboggan that had been his brother’s, and Kurt had a shiny, new classic wooden and red steel Flexible Flyer with a steering bar that his dad had gifted him this Christmas, and he couldn’t wait to try it out.

Once they’d reached the park’s limits, Kurt led Blaine to a hill that was fairly secluded; it was on the opposite side of the park and steeper than the more heavily visited hill. Usually only the older kids dared take the descent. Kurt had been warned and taught about safety. But his dad wasn’t there, and he was feeling particularly bold. Kurt figured that what Burt didn’t know wouldn’t hurt. Because Kurt was older, Blaine looked up to him and would follow him no matter where he led, no questions asked.

Kurt positioned his sled at the top of the hill, digging the runners into the snow a little. “I’ll wait for you so we can go down together,” he told Blaine with a smile.

“Okay.” Blaine lined up his sled and prepared to climb onto it.

Kurt sat down carefully and grabbed the rope to steer because he was still too scared to lay face-down with his belly on the sled and descend head-first. He needed practice, but he wanted to take it down a few times in the way he felt most safe.

“Ready? Set? Go!” Kurt shouted, and they were off, laughing and squealing all the way down.

They scrambled to their feet again at the bottom, still overcome with giggles.

Slightly breathless, Kurt called to Blaine, “I’ll race you to the top!”

They ran back up, slipping and sliding a bit when their boots lost traction, and, when they made it, they repositioned their sleds and slid right back down.

“Let’s race down the hill - and pretend that we’re in cars!” Blaine said, flashing his brilliant partially toothless grin. “I wanna be the Batmobile!”

“That’s not fair,” Kurt whined. “You have to choose a _real_ car.”

“It _is_ a real car,” Blaine insisted.

“Is not!”

“Is too!”

“Fine,” Kurt huffed, “you can be the Batmobile. But then I get to be a McLaren F1, so I’m the fastest.”

“I bet I could still beat you,” Blaine challenged him.

“Bring it on.”

They raced down the hill side by side, each determined to reach their imaginary finish line first, and when Blaine came out the victor, Kurt yelled, “Best out of three!”

Blaine won again the second time around, and Kurt was growing flustered, knowing he’d already lost despite a third attempt.

Kurt’s determination to win knew no bounds, so he set his sled at the starting line adjacent to Blaine’s yet again. He gritted his teeth, climbed onto the sled belly-down, and kicked his foot back against the ground in an attempt to get a boost of speed. But his attempt soon went awry when instead of barreling ahead, Kurt lost his balance and control of the sled. The runners skidded and slipped, sending him tumbling headfirst into the snow and the rest of the way down the hill.

After the disastrous wipe out, Kurt was shivering as he pulled himself upright. Blaine hadn’t been too far behind and came running to his aid, a look of terror on his face.

“Kurt! Kurt, are you okay? Did you get hurt?” Blaine dropped to his knees into the snow beside him.

He nodded. Kurt’s face was bright red and his eyes were watering, but nothing ached. The only thing he’d hurt was his pride. He was embarrassed, and it took everything within him to not burst into tears in front of his friend.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Your face is all red and splotchy,” Blaine said.

“I’m fine,” Kurt insisted stubbornly, wiping at the tear running down his cheek. “It’s just because of the cold.”

“It’s good you’re not hurt. I was scared. You’re so silly and clumsy, Kurt,” Blaine teased, cracking a smile in hopes that Kurt would smile back. “You rolled head over heels all the way down!”

“Hey,” Kurt said, crossing his arms and frowning. “It’s not funny. And I’m not silly.”

“You _are_ silly for trying that stunt, but I like you just the way you are. You’re my silly best friend - who just ate snow! At least it wasn’t yellow!”

Kurt groaned, feigning anger, but he was really trying to hold back laughter.

Suddenly, Blaine leaned in and smacked a kiss to Kurt’s moist cheek, and Kurt’s eyes grew wide in shock.

Kurt felt like his cheek was glowing. “What was that for?”

“To take away the cold and to make you all better.”

At that, Kurt could no longer suppress what he was feeling, and he burst into giggles, turning to look at Blaine who began to laugh with him.

“Wanna go home now? We can play with your new remote control car,” Blaine said.

“Yeah.” Kurt became excited at the prospect and knew he would feel much better once he was warm inside and changed into dry clothing. “I call first dibs, though. We can take turns.” 

“Okay.”

Blaine climbed to his feet and offered his hand to Kurt to help him up, and Kurt took it. But once they were both on their feet again, neither let go. Each grabbed the ropes of their respective sleds, and they returned to Kurt’s house, skipping back over the tracks they’d left earlier, their gloved hands linked and swinging between them. 


	5. Everything Has Changed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU: Kurt and Blaine meet when they cross paths while walking their dogs through the city park.

Blaine tightened his grip on the lead when Darla suddenly jerked forward, trying to pull him along in a desperate attempt to get at another dog who was just up ahead on the sidewalk.

“Whoa - well, hello there,” Blaine said, looking down at the two dogs while they greeted each other, sniffing, wiggling their butts as their tails wagged, and spinning in a circle. His usually well-behaved Boston Terrier happened to choose today to pretend she’d never been properly trained to not approach just any person or animal on the street. “Alright, c’mon, now,” he coaxed, gently tugging her back. “I’m so sorry. She’s usually not like this.”

“It’s okay,” the dog’s owner assured him with a quick little laugh. “Princess Di is very friendly and loves making new friends.”

“Your little Princess has the most…” Blaine began to coo, finally looking up mid-sentence, his eyes meeting those of the other dog’s owner, “…beautiful blue eyes,” he finished breathlessly. He swallowed nervously, feeling his pulse quicken under the gaze of the extremely well-dressed, poised, attractive man standing before him. 

“She’s a long-haired Dachshund,” the man explained. “A bit high maintenance, but I don’t mind. The little lady’s such a sweetheart and loves being pampered. We were actually just on our way to the groomer now.”

Blaine dropped his gaze to the dogs again, looking more closely at Diana’s fur with its patterned patches of brown, gray, and white. “I love her dappled coat.”

“Your little guy is looking pretty snazzy there,” he commented. “Looks like he’s wearing a tuxedo, and the bow tie collar is a very nice touch.” He looked Blaine up and down, seemingly appraising his outfit choice, which was also complete with a bow tie. “I’m sorry. Where are my manners…my name’s Kurt,” he said, offering his free hand.

“Blaine,” he said, taking his hand to shake. He held on a little longer than was necessary before letting go, captivated and overwhelmed with this sudden rush of euphoria and the strong desire to remain in the moment, standing there, listening to this man speak. But he’d heard what Kurt had said and didn’t want to inconvenience him. “If you’re on your way somewhere, I won’t hold you up any longer.”

“No, no, it’s okay. You weren’t holding me up at all. I purposely left early to take her for a stroll through the park to tire her out a little before she gets cleaned, cut, and primped.”

“We were just going for a walk, too, to get some exercise. After the cronut breakfast I had this morning, both of us could use it,” Blaine said with a laugh, patting his belly.

“I beg to differ,” Kurt said, his eyes lasciviously raking Blaine’s form again. “You look in excellent shape to me. But, if you must, why don’t we walk along together? At least, until the other side of the park.” 

Blaine nodded, not missing the implication of Kurt’s words. “I would love that.”

They ambled through the park, both dogs prancing along beside them, and made small talk, getting to know each other a little, learning they were both from the neighborhood. All the while they exchanged flirty looks and comments, but the pleasant time they were having had to inevitably come to an end as they reached the edge of the park. 

“It was really great meeting you,” Blaine said, coming to a halt and turning to face Kurt before they parted, but he didn’t want the conversation to end. He was really enjoying Kurt’s company and wondered if he would see him around again. 

“You, too,” Kurt said earnestly. “Listen…I don’t usually do this, but would you maybe like to go grab…” He abruptly cut off his question, gasping instead before his infectious laughter filled the air. “Oh my god,” he managed between giggles. 

Blaine followed Kurt’s line of sight, jumping and yanking again on the lead to pull Darla back, who was currently and rather shamelessly becoming very friendly with Princess Di.

“He certainly is a firecracker,” Kurt joked.

“She,” Blaine corrected. “ _Darla_ ,” he said, directed more toward the dog, as if scolding her. He crouched down and scooped her up into his arms, rising again and holding her to his chest. He couldn’t believe she’d just done that, and his face began to burn from embarrassment.

“Oh,” Kurt gasped. “Oh my god, that makes it even funnier. My friend Santana would be proud to know that Di takes after her.”

Blaine let out a groan, trying to suppress a smile at the thought of their dogs being lesbians. He knew that it was truly only an act of showing dominance, but it was still funny to think of it in that way.

Coming to the sudden realization of what Kurt had been about to ask, Blaine blurted out, “Yes - to your question.”

Kurt looked confused for a split second before remembering. “Oh yeah, before that major yet hilarious _distraction_ , I was asking you something. But how can you say yes when I haven’t even finished asking?” he teased. “You could have been agreeing to a slew of unthinkable and scandalous things.”  

“Wait, weren’t you going to…ask me out….? I mean…oh. I guess I misunderstood,” Blaine stammered, unable to look straight at Kurt now.

“God, you’re adorable when you’re nervous. I _was_ asking you out, silly.”

“You were? You were,” Blaine said again, feeling immensely relieved.

“Is your answer still yes?”

“Yes, definitely yes,” Blaine said, his gaze returning to Kurt’s mesmerizing, electric blue eyes. What were the chances he’d meet such a handsome, friendly stranger during a walk through the park? How had they never crossed paths before? He had no idea when he’d woken that morning that Darla’s choice to misbehave in order to say hello to another dog would change everything. Like Pongo and Perdita, the little rascals had brought the men together, and he had his feisty pooch to thank for everything. 

Darla fidgeted in his arms and turned her head upward, her tongue darting out to attack Blaine’s jaw with wet kisses as if showing her approval, stirring Blaine from his brief reverie.

“She seems happy about it.” Kurt hummed and smiled fondly at the display of affection. “We could always make it a double date,” he said with a wink. “Now that our dogs know each other _very_ well, I would really like to get to know you better now.”


	6. Can’t Help Falling In Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anderberry siblings AU: Blaine’s in love with his older sister’s best friend, and he thinks he’s been pretty good at keeping it a secret.

It was an understatement to say that being Rachel Anderberry’s little brother came with its challenges; however, in his fifteen years, Blaine had learned to live comfortably in her shadow. It wasn’t such a bad place to be. In fact, he was often painfully shy and thus quite content to sit back and observe. And with all her performing arts and musical extracurriculars and the drama that came with them, life with Rachel was never boring. 

Despite having very big shoes to fill while constantly being pushed to the background, there were certain perks that came with being Rachel’s brother, namely, her best friend, Kurt Hummel, the boy with whom Blaine was hopelessly in love. 

Only a freshman and smaller in stature than most of the guys in his grade, it was easy for Blaine to disappear in the crowds and become anonymous. At McKinley High, he was known only by and referred to as the moniker “Rachel’s little brother,” especially by all his sister’s show choir mates. Blaine dreamed of joining their ranks, wanting to know the feeling of camaraderie among its members, but he had terrible stage fright, and froze up just at the thought of standing in front of people whose eyes were all focused on him.

Rachel liked to boss Blaine around, but he didn’t mind, because there were certain times when she did that he benefited greatly. For instance, whenever Rachel had friends over to rehearse and put on impromptu performances in the basement, Blaine was the loyal and adoring little brother she would drag down there to be her audience - just as long as he gave her positive feedback. And he always did. Especially since her circle of friends was more like a square, and more times than not, the friend who became her duet partner was Kurt. It was the only time Blaine was invited to hang around them, and he took advantage of those precious minutes he was granted to watch Kurt and sometimes even say a few words to him.

That afternoon, Blaine had been recruited to watch as Rachel and Kurt sang and danced around to a number from _Guys and Dolls_ , and he sat there in absolute awe, the joy of watching Kurt tinged with a deep sense of melancholy and longing - not just for Kurt, but to be a part of their world, a part of glee club and the musicals. Like Rachel, Blaine knew he had some talent singing and enjoyed doing it, but he could never muster the courage to do it in front of other people.

When the song was over, Rachel bowed and beamed one of her best show smiles, her bright eyes trained on Blaine. “Was I amazing or simply superb?”

“Phenomenal,” Blaine offered, bringing his hands together in quiet yet enthusiastic applause. “Both of you were amazing,” he added, but when he spoke he couldn’t take his eyes off of Kurt, who’d looked slightly miffed but smiled at the acknowledgment.

Rachel put Blaine on the spot again and again, forcing a critique out of him on all the specifics of their performance, and, once she was satisfied, announced that she and Kurt were going to get some water and then head out. The two best friends went upstairs, leaving Blaine behind in the basement.

He sat there listening quietly to their muffled banter for a few moments, and then he heard a door open and close and then nothing. Now that the house was quiet and empty, Blaine climbed off the couch and to his feet, his gaze still directed toward the little stage their dads had had installed when they bought the house. Hands stuffed in his pockets, Blaine walked toward it and stepped up onto the platform. The microphones were still set up, and Blaine positioned himself behind the one to the left, the BeDazzled one belonging to his sister.

He stared out at the empty room, devoid of any audience, save perhaps a spider hiding in some crevice, and he could picture that perfect moment, imagine the feel of the rush and release of singing his lungs out to a packed house.

He got lost in his head, imagining that the lights were burning down on him and he was standing in front of a sold out theater, their dads smiling up at him from the center front row, and for once, Rachel was not the center of attention: he was. Blaine Anderberry was the star, and he was shining brighter than he’d ever shone before, and it felt wonderful and empowering.

In his fantasy, Blaine was singing, and then Kurt appeared, and he thought about all the things he would say to him if he had the courage. But words wouldn’t do. Lyrics of songs began to flow through Blaine, all love songs, all tragically beautiful. And then a few lines lodged in his head, the refrain of an Elvis song playing on loop. He reached forward and turned the microphone on, lightly tapping on it to test it, and hummed the tune. And then he began to sing…

***

Unbeknownst to Blaine, Kurt and Rachel had never left the house and were currently upstairs in her bedroom, gossiping about the latest show choir drama.

“I can’t believe Quinn and Finn are back together again, especially after she cheated.”

Kurt just rolled his eyes over the same tired thing. Rachel was always yammering on about quarterback Finn Hudson and how she could be so much better for him than “that tone-deaf cheerleader”.

“Boy, am I glad I’m not pining over Finn anymore. He’s a lost cause, ‘cause you’re never gonna break up Ken and Barbie. Not to mention the straight factor,” he added, more to himself. “I actually pity you, Rachel.”

“Speaking of pining, did you not see the way Blaine was looking at you earlier? All moon-eyed and practically drooling.”

“Oh, stop it, Rach. You’re making it up just to get a reaction out of me. Too bad I won’t bite your bait.”

“No, I swear. I’m being totally serious. Blaine is totally in love with you, Kurt.”

Kurt glared at Rachel and then looked away. Of course she would make a comment about her little brother, the only other gay kid who was out at McKinley High, though no one really knew unless they were close to his family. Blaine kept to himself, and people left him alone. Kurt tried to look annoyed in attempt to shut her up, but internally he was jumping for joy. Truth be told, he’d always thought Blaine was cute, though he’d never admit it to his sister. She’d never let him live it down. Her claim had sparked something in him, a small hope that maybe it was true, that Blaine had feelings for him. But it was more likely that Rachel was bored and was just being her usual dramatic self.

“Assuming that Blaine really had been watching me because he’s ‘in love with me’,” he made air quotes, “how could you even know that for sure?”

A wicked grin rose to Rachel’s face, resembling that of a wolf who’d just trapped its prey, knowing she’d gotten Kurt exactly where she wanted him. “You can’t tell anyone,” she began in a hushed voice, “but I snooped in Blaine’s room and found his diary. Seriously, he keeps a diary. I thought that was so early 2000s, but apparently he writes all his private thoughts as well as poetry in that thing. Well, in the midst of skimming, I stumbled upon some oddly specific lyrics that he’d written, and, lo and behold, the next page was covered with hearts filled with ‘Blaine plus Kurt’!”

Rachel began to snicker.

“Don’t laugh. It’s not funny. It’s actually kind of sweet,” he said, feeling a blush rise to his face at the thought. But he immediately switched gears to scold her. “You shouldn’t have invaded his privacy like that.”

“Well, how else was I supposed to know what’s going on with him? We live in the same house, and all he does is lock himself in and hide away in his room. I was worried about him.”

“That still doesn’t give you an excuse to do what you did,” Kurt said, but he was too distracted by the revelation to thoroughly tell her off. As he sat there, he could swear he heard music playing, though he could have been imagining it.

“Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“That,” Kurt said again. “Someone’s singing. It couldn’t be…?”

Rachel opened her mouth to respond, but Kurt held his hand up to silence her. He got up quickly from the bed, intent on following the sound. Quiet as possible, he crept downstairs all the way to the basement, where he paused on the landing.

_“Take my hand, take my whole life too. For I can’t help falling in love with you.”_

The voice, it was distinctly and undeniably Blaine’s. It was calm and soulful, and as Kurt lingered just out of sight, he felt chills climb his spine, the familiar lyrics touching him in a way they never had before.

Unable to remain standing idly by, Kurt stepped into view, swiftly descending the steps and startling Blaine.

Blaine froze like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. “I didn’t think anyone was here,” he said in a voice so broken and small that it broke Kurt’s heart.

Kurt could see that Blaine was shutting down, the fear in his tearful eyes so clear. He began to tremble as fight or flight was about to go down. In Blaine’s case, flight always won out.

Blaine began to stammer incoherently, but Kurt cut in, finally speaking up.

“Don’t run. Stay. It was beautiful.” Kurt proceeded cautiously toward the stage, stopping a few feet away. “Your voice and breath support are very good. You even kind of look like The King standing up there, the way you pull focus…” Kurt stopped himself, shaking his head when he realized what he was doing. “But I didn’t come down here to critique you.”

“Then…why?”

“I could really feel every word you sang…no one sings a love song like that unless they’re singing it to someone. Not even the best actors can fake emotion like that…” Kurt hesitated, swallowing hard and feeling nerves hit his stomach. “Who were you thinking about?”

Tears began to stream down Blaine’s face, but he didn’t make a sound as he stood there stunned in disbelief. He couldn’t believe that Kurt was confronting him like this, putting him on the spot, but most of all, he couldn’t believe that he’d spoken more than five words to him and that they were alone together like so many scenarios Blaine had created and played out in his head. And Kurt was looking at him in this way no one had ever looked at him before, piercing but not harsh, and like he was just waiting on a cue, awaiting the answer to his question.

He should have run, taken off right out of there, but instead he stood there in place, Kurt’s presence suddenly having the opposite effect on him, empowering him, giving him a voice.

This time, fight won.

“You. It’s always been you.”

Although he’d just torn a huge hole in himself, leaving space for all the things that could hurt him to enter and destroy his heart, it felt so good to finally have that suffocating, soul-crushing weight off his chest. Kurt was speaking again, but Blaine couldn’t hear what he was saying, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear.

All he knew was that Kurt was moving toward him until he was close enough that Blaine could smell the clean scent of his skin and hair, until he was so close that Blaine could hear him clearly.

“I heard everything I needed to hear to understand.” Kurt held his hand out, his palm on display. “May I…take your hand?”

Blaine nodded, sliding his hand into Kurt’s, a smile breaking across his face at the sensation and the realization that this was really happening.

“Like the song,” he softly uttered.

“Just like the song.” Kurt took a deep breath. “You’re not the only foolish one who has doodled hearts in a notebook and was too shy to ever just say what needed to be said.”

“Do you mean…?”

“Yeah,” Kurt said with so much certainty. “And, if you don’t mind, I’d really like to kiss you right now.”

Blaine’s heartbeat accelerated from eighth to sixteenth notes, his heart taking flight to the frantic rhythm of a Rimsky-Korsakov [piece](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FaYAJopwEYv8&t=YjFhYzA4MzIzN2YwNDI4OTVjNGVmNWE0Zjg4NTY2MDhmNzQwNWQzNCxJRVFpN3FhZg%3D%3D).

“I don’t mind.” 

When their lips met, it was as if time stood still, and Blaine’s heart felt full to bursting. This was everything he’d ever wanted. All he ever wanted.

Kurt broke off the kiss, his eyes fluttering open again to reveal their mesmerizing blue hue.

Blaine found his voice again. “Thank you.” 

Kurt giggled. “You’re welcome.” 

_“Like a river flows, surely to the sea_

_Darling so it goes…_

_Some things are meant to be.”_


	7. Thinking Out Loud

Blaine had grown unusually quiet, and Kurt looked over the screen of his laptop, closing the cover when he noticed that, somewhere between checking his favorite fashion blog and researching show times at the revival house, Blaine had crashed.

It came as no surprise to Kurt that his best friend had fallen asleep on the bed beside him. Blaine currently had a lot on his plate. On top of staying up late several nights to cram for midterms, show choir practices had been especially rigorous and physically demanding. They were in the week leading up to Regionals, and Mr. Schuester had been holding mandatory extended rehearsals every day after school during which they ran dance drills until their feet were sore. Blaine had been so exhausted that he’d even foregone hair gel.

Not but an hour before, they’d left one of those rehearsals and arrived at Kurt’s house to decompress, and, now, Blaine was out cold, his head resting on his arms, snoring softly.

Kurt set the laptop aside on his nightstand, stretched, and then shifted, rolling over onto his belly, careful not to disturb Blaine for fear of waking him. He looked so peaceful, lost in dreamland, all his troubles from the day and the tension in his body gone. Kurt had the urge to reach out and brush away Blaine’s soft, loose curls from where they’d fallen over his forehead, but he refrained, the invisible barrier that only more-than-friends dared cross holding him back. 

“It’s been a rough few days, hasn’t it,” Kurt spoke quietly just above a whisper. “I know, I’m talking to myself. I do that sometimes…think out loud.” His eyes traveled the length of Blaine’s body, returning to his face, and he grinned close-mouthed at the way Blaine’s long lashes fanned over his slightly flushed cheeks. He imagined what it might be like to wake up beside him day after day, to fall asleep next to him every night. Kurt would spend a lifetime beside Blaine if he could. “You’re wonderful,” Kurt breathed. “If only you knew how much of a fool I am for you…a hopeless, love-struck fool. I wish I could tell you.” 

Kurt gently shook his head and sighed.

Wanting to keep himself busy, he climbed off the bed and headed toward his dresser.

Feeling the absence of Kurt’s weight on the mattress, Blaine opened his eyes just a crack, his lashes fluttering before he allowed his tired, heavy lids to fall closed once more.

When Kurt turned back around, his gaze fixing on Blaine again, who was still laying there on the bed oblivious to the world, something about him caught Kurt’s eye and caused his heart to skip a beat. 

He could swear that Blaine was smiling as if he’d heard every word. 


End file.
